[21][36] He suggested that had all gone according to plan, the loyalist extremists would have been able to clandestinely bomb the Republic of Ireland, yet claim that the band were republican bomb-smugglers carrying explosives on behalf of the IRA. [65] Earlier that night, three RUC officers in an unmarked car had been stopped at a checkpoint but allowed through. The scene of the Miami Showband Killings on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland, 31st July 1975. Organisieren, kontrollieren, verteilen und messen Sie alle Ihre digitalen Inhalte. [21][84], Former British soldier and writer Ken Wharton published in his book Wasted Years, Wasted Lives, Volume 1, an alternative theory that was suggested to him by loyalist paramilitarism researcher Jeanne Griffin; this was that the ambush was planned by Robin Jackson as an elaborate means of eliminating trumpet player Brian McCoy. He also took part in fatal bomb attacks at Kay's Tavern in Dundalk and Donnelly's Bar at Silverbridge, south Armagh. In 1978, he became a born-again Christian. [62] However, police have blamed the IRA. The explosion ripped through the building, killing 21-year-old married woman Marion Bowen, who was eight months pregnant at the time. Five people were killed, including three members of The Miami Showband, who were one of Ireland's most popular cabaret bands. It was a forgiveness that few of the relatives of his victims were willing to give. [35], Out of sight of the band members, two of the gunmen placed a ten-pound (4.5kg) time bomb that was inside a briefcase under the driver's seat of the minibus. He also provides other alibis for Nairac precluding his presence at the scenes of both the John Francis Green killing and the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. The Miami Showband reformed in 2008, with Stephen Travers, Des McAlea, and Ray Millar, plus new members. Halfway to Newry, their minibus was stopped at what appeared to be a military checkpoint where gunmen in British Army uniforms ordered them to line up by the roadside. ", And he insisted: "The Lord has forgiven me.". The following year, Fran O'Toole became the band's lead vocalist after Mick Roche (Billy Mac's replacement) was sacked. [70] Crozier, McDowell, and Somerville were released after 1998 under the terms of the Belfast Agreement. The plaque describes them as having been "killed in action". But by this time, he was ready to go to jail. The UVF man, who identified himself only as "the Craftsman", apologised to Travers for the attack, and explained that the UVF gunmen shot the band because they "had panicked" that night. Using a similar terror technique, they set up another fake checkpoint at Cornalaght, Newtownhamilton. [35] Dillon also opined in God and the Gun: The Church and Irish Terrorism that the dead bombers, Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville, had actually led the UVF gang at Buskhill. "Robin Jackson and John Somerville had been very close friends since joining the Mid-Ulster UVF. The Provisional IRA carried out the bombing of two pubs in the English city of Birmingham the following November, resulting in 21 deaths. [15][16] A report in the Irish Times implicated Jackson in the Dublin bombings. Tony Geraghty also attempted to escape; but he was caught by the gunmen and shot twice in the back of his head and a number of times in the back. Everybody was respectful to Brian". I only came into it because of my UDR connection and the fact that I had a uniform. [62] One report says it was stopped at a fake British Army checkpoint. [86] Weir alleged the bomb used in the Miami Showband attack came from Mitchell's farm. Notorious loyalist serial killer Robin Jackson. The only identifiable body part from the bombers to survive the blast (which had been heard up to 4 miles (6.4km) away) was a severed arm belonging to Wesley Somerville. . Days before the Miami attack, Robin Jackson murdered William Hanna, the UVF commander in mid-Ulster. [68] McDowell had pleaded guilty. Laat uw merk op authentieke wijze groeien door uw merkcontent te delen met de makers van het internet. [22][44], One of the first RUC men who arrived at Buskhill in the wake of the killings was scenes of crime officer James O'Neill. Millionen hochwertiger Bilder, Videos und Musiktracks warten auf Sie. At about 2:30am, when the band was seven miles (11km) north of Newry on the main A1 road, their Volkswagen minibus (driven by trumpeter Brian McCoy with bassist Stephen Travers in the front seat beside him) reached the townland of Buskhill. [4] Despite the heavy gunfire, Tony Geraghty and Fran O'Toole attempted to carry a severely injured Stephen Travers to safety, but were unable to move him far. But our investigations this week revealed that shortly before he died, Jackson sent for self-confessed loyalist gunrunner Willie Frazer, also now deceased. In this adult animated comedy, Elvis trades his jumpsuit for a jetpack when he joins a secret spy program to stop villains from destroying the world. This is one of the last photographs taken of the band before the massacre on 31st July 1975. Survivors Stephen Travers and Des McAlea were both present at the unveiling, as was the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, who made a tribute. Somerville said: "I'm not going to make excuses for my past. Sometimes the showbands played traditional Irish music at their performances. There are also allegations that British military intelligence agents were involved. It took place on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland. Three UVF members are being treated for gunshot wounds after last night but not in hospital. Despite his conversion to Christianity, Somerville remained virulently anti-Catholic and he strongly opposed the Good Friday Agreement. UVF serial killer John Somerville shot Miami Showband singer Fran O'Toole 22 times in the face. They asked him if he recognised it or could he identify it. More than 100 killings have been attributed to him by the Pat Finucane Centre, the Derry-based civil rights group.[15][17]. [4] He spoke with an educated English accent and immediately took charge, ordering a man who appeared to have been the leader of the patrol to tell Crozier to obtain their names and dates of birth instead of addresses. According to RT, "Their families were in deep mourning and Ireland mourned with them". He served in C Company, 11th Battalion UDR. It is obvious, therefore, that the UVF patrol was justified in taking the action it did and that the killing of the three Showband members should be regarded as justifiable homicide. That same year, keyboardist Francis (Fran) O'Toole (from Bray, County Wicklow) had won the Gold Star Award on RT's Reach For the Stars television programme. [59] Two days later, Portadown disc jockey Norman "Mooch" Kerr, aged 28,[60] was shot dead by the IRA as he packed up his equipment after a show at the Camrick Bar in Armagh. Travers was not able to positively identify Nairac, from his photograph, as having been the man at Buskhill. Before adjourning the Alex Murdaugh case today, Judge Clifford Newman warned against sharing graphic autopsy photos of Maggie and Paul's bodies that were accidentally shown during the trial.. It took place on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland. [23], According to the Irish Times, at the height of Irish showbands' popularity (from the 1950s to the 1970s), up to as many as 700 bands travelled to venues all over Ireland on a nightly basis.[24]. One of these men, Lance-Corporal Thomas Raymond Crozier (aged 25, a painting contractor from Lurgan) of C Company, 11th Battalion UDR was charged with the Miami killings. The massacre dealt a blow to Northern Ireland's live music scene, which had brought young Catholics and Protestants together. [4], In May 1974, unionists called a general strike to protest against the Sunningdale Agreement an attempt at power-sharing, setting up a Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland, which would have given the Government of Ireland a voice in running Northern Ireland. [21] He was replaced by Johnny Brown, who in turn was replaced by Dave Monks until Stephen Travers eventually became the band's permanent bass player. Weir's affidavit implicating Robin Jackson in a number of attacks including the 1974 Dublin bombings was published in the 2003 Barron Report; the findings of an official investigation into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings commissioned by Irish Supreme Court Judge Henry Barron. Can you step out of the van for a few minutes and we'll just do a check". U 4. The music ranged from rock and country and western to Dixieland jazz. Crozier had pleaded not guilty. Two of the gunmen were attempting to plant a time bomb on the vehicle, when it prematurely exploded and killed them. It had been set up in Lurgan in 1972 by part-time Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) sergeant and permanent staff instructor Billy Hanna, who made himself commander of the brigade. [8] The brigade was described by author Don Mullan as one of the most ruthless units operating in the 1970s. [4][18][28][29] As Crozier took down the information, a car pulled up and another uniformed man appeared on the scene. [66] RUC officer John Weir claims that UDR corporal and alleged UVF member Robert McConnell was involved in the attack. [18][27] The unsuspecting band members got out and were politely told to line up facing the ditch at the rear of the minibus with their hands on their heads. Browse 22 the miami showband stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. These were held on 1 May 1975 and the United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC), which had won 11 out of 12 Northern Irish seats in the February 1974 general election, won a majority again. Boards zijn de beste plekken om beelden en videoclips op te slaan. The IRA said it killed him because of an alleged association with British Army officer and member of 14th Intelligence Company, Captain Robert Nairac, and claimed it was in possession of his diary, which had been stolen in Portadown.[61]. Then They Were Coldly Murdered", "An Index of Deaths from the Conflict in Ireland: 1975", "Sub-Committee on the Barron Report 26September 2006 Public Hearings on the Barron Report". [34][81][82] The panel stated that it was unclear why Crozier, Jackson and Neill were not in police custody at the time the Miami Showband killings took place. They were both present when the Miami Showband bomb exploded, but the shootings which followed seconds later - including the slaughter of Fran O'Toole - were mainly the work of John Somerville. Director Stuart Sender Writers Jeff Zimbalist Michael Zimbalist Stars Stephen Travers Bertie Ahern By the mid-1980s, the showbands had lost their appeal for the Irish public; although The Miami Showband, albeit with a series of different line-ups, did not disband until 1986. As they were being questioned, Major Boyle and Lieutenant Somerville began to search the minibus. Somerville was sent to jail for 35 years and, despite being firmly opposed to the Good Friday Agreement, he was released under its terms after spending just 18 years behind bars. [34] All the gunmen were members of the UVF's Mid-Ulster Brigade and had been lying in wait to ambush the band, having set up the checkpoint just minutes before. [22] He presently resides near Craigavon. [22] Near the junction with Buskhill Road they were flagged down by armed men dressed in British Army uniforms waving a red torch in a circular motion. [30][39], When the device was tilted on its side,[30] clumsy soldering on the clock used as a timer caused the bomb to explode prematurely, blowing the minibus apart and killing UVF men Harris Boyle (aged 22, a telephone wireman from Portadown) and Wesley Somerville (aged 34, a textile worker from Moygashel) instantly. Travers later recalled hearing one of the departing gunmen tell his comrade who had kicked McCoy's body to make sure he was not alive: "Come on, those bastards are dead. In late 1974, the Miami Showband's song "Clap Your Hands and Stomp Your Feet" (featuring O'Toole on lead vocals) reached no. He was then machine-gunned 22 times, mostly in the face, as he lay supine on the ground. The band's road manager, Brian Maguire, had already gone ahead a few minutes earlier in the equipment van. The Miami Showband killings (also called the Miami Showband Massacre) was an attack by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), a loyalist paramilitary group, on 31 July 1975. The Miami Showband's surviving members Des Lee, Ray Miller and Stephen Travers Credit . "The arm belonged to John's brother Wesley, who was killed in the Miami explosion. In the ensuing confusion the UVF men opened fire on the band, killing three and wounding two. Other photographs in the set show similar injuries to all four limbs, his buttocks and face. Some wounds are a deep red, with blood vessels clearly visible; others expose underlying tissue. Jane Carter says late son received many threats prior to his death. Asked whether he had anything valuable inside the case, Travers replied no. Driven by a personal tragedy, a pianist-turned-lawyer navigates the complex world of divorce fighting for his clients to win by any means necessary. After receiving radio confirmation that there were no authorised checkpoints in the area that night, they reported the incident and requested help from the British Army to investigate it, but no action was taken. Although this information was passed on to RUC headquarters, nothing was done about it. [69] Stephen Travers decried: "We believe the only conclusion possible arising from the HET report is that one of the most prolific loyalist murderers of the conflict was an RUC Special Branch agent and was involved in the Miami Showband attack". And despite being married with a family, he immersed himself in loyalist terrorism. [56], Within 12 hours of the attack, the UVF's Brigade Staff (Belfast leadership based on the Shankill Road) issued a statement. The scene of The Miami Showband Massacre And he wanted Frazer to ensure the Miami killer received any assistance he needed in adjusting to life on the outside. With Dublin-born singer [Jimmy Harte] as frontman followed by Dickie Rock as frontman, the Miami Showband underwent many personnel changes over the years. Three band members were shot dead by loyalist gunmen. He added that had the death penalty not been abolished, it would have been imposed in this case. A child of Northern Ireland's Troubles recalls that fateful night when The Miami Showband was ambushed by the Ulster Volunteer Force on this day in 1975. The incident had an adverse effect on the Irish showband scene, with many of the bands afraid to play in Northern Ireland. This is one of the first real crime scene photos ever taken. Updated / Monday, 13 Dec 2021 22:28. The scene of the Miami Showband Killings on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland, 31st July 1975. OnlyFans model Courtney Clenney, who's accused of killing her boyfriend, Obumseli, remains behind bars on second-degree murder charges. "A hundred of your men haven't done what I've done," he told a UVF leader. "Special Branch Agent colluded in Miami killings". [21][22][31] Travers thought that McCoy, a Protestant from Northern Ireland, was familiar with security checkpoints and had reckoned the regular British Army would be more efficient than the Ulster Defense Regiment (UDR), who had a reputation for unprofessional and unpredictable behaviour, especially toward people from the Republic. [14], Jackson was an alleged RUC Special Branch agent who was said by Yorkshire Television's The Hidden Hand: The Forgotten Massacre programme to have had links to both the Intelligence Corps and Captain Robert Nairac. However, Martin Dillon alleged that the bomb was meant to go off in the Irish Republic. [83] Journalists Kevin Dowling and Liam Collins in the Irish Independent however, suggested in their respective articles that Jackson had been the leader of the unit. [4][21], The jocular mood of the gunmen abruptly ceased. Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention, Timeline of Ulster Volunteer Force actions, "Sunningdale pushed hardliners into fatal outrages in 1974", "Events: Dublin and Monaghan Bombs Chronology of Events", "Collusion in the South Armagh / Mid Ulster Area in the mid-1970s", "All About the Miami Showband (19611996)", "The Miami Band Lined Up Against the Van. And after stopping GAA fans 22-year-old Colm McCartney and 32-year-old John Farmer, they shot them dead. Two of the gunmen, both soldiers, died when a time bomb they were hiding on the minibus exploded prematurely. [28][45] The RUC's investigative unit, the Assassination or "A" Squad of detectives, was set up to investigate the crime and to discover the identities of the UVF gunmen who perpetrated the killings. Near the anniversary of the killings, a temporary plaque is placed at the location of the killings. [19], The 1975 line-up comprised four Catholics and two Protestants. [99], The findings noted in the report confirmed Mid-Ulster UVF leader Robin Jackson's involvement and identified him as an RUC Special Branch agent. [35], On 22 January 1976, a second UDR soldier, Sergeant James Roderick Shane McDowell (aged 29, an optical worker, also from Lurgan) was arrested and charged with the Miami killings. [47][71] In his first parliamentary speech on 7 July 1987, Ken Livingstone MP told the House of Commons, "it was likely" that Nairac had organised the attack. [81] Neill's car was one of those allegedly used in the Buskhill attack. A Sunday World investigation into the Miami Showband atrocity has revealed the now deceased killer's assertion was true. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for DISC 2 REPLACEMENT ONLY CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Miami 7th Season DVD 2008 at the best online prices at eBay! McCoy's words, therefore, were taken seriously by the other band members, and anything he said was considered to be accurate. Originally called the Downbeats Quartet, the Miami Showband was reformed in 1962 by rock promoter Tom Doherty, who gave them their new name. When asked to comment about the report, Des McAlea replied: "It's been a long time but we've got justice at last". She furthermore opined that Jackson was the man Travers saw kicking McCoy's body to make sure he was dead. [44], McDowell's statement of admission was published in David McKittrick's book Lost Lives:[44]. He was unimpressed by the UVF men he met in the loyalist stronghold. They were driving home from a Gaelic football match in Dublin. RM G4PYFC - Miami Showband massacre RM EC8F8C - London, UK. [77] However, Ministry of Defence documents released in 2020 contain suggestions that Nairac acquired equipment and uniforms for the Miami Showband killers, and that he was responsible for the planning and execution of the attack itself. The attack was carried out by loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and took place while the group, a popular cabaret band, were travelling home to Dublin after a performance. Forensic photography, or the practice of taking photos at the scene of a crime, has been around for over a century. [17][87], During the six years from the onset of "the Troubles" until the July 1975 attack, there had never been an incident involving any of the showbands. O'Toole and McCoy were both married; each had two children. Aaron Carter's mom releases shocking pictures of his 'death scene' bathroom in desperate bid to get cops to probe his death as a crime despite coroner saying it was an accidental drugs overdose Miami 1975 - The Massacre In early 1975, bassist Steve Travers replaced Dave Monks. [55] Although ballistic testing had linked the Luger (for which the silencer had been specifically made) to the Miami Showband attack, Jackson was never questioned about the killings after his fingerprints had been discovered on the silencer, and the Miami inquiry team were never informed about these developments. [22], At least four of the gunmen were soldiers from the UDR. O'Toole was noted for his good looks and popularity with female fans,[20] and was described by the Miami Showband's former bass guitarist, Paul Ashford, as having been the "greatest soul singer" in Ireland. At no time did this new soldier speak to any of the band members nor did he directly address Crozier. And six years later - seconds before he was handed four life sentences - his voice boomed across the courtroom: "I'm being sent to prison because I wouldn't become an informer like the rest of them," he yelled at the trial judge. [53] The judge, by sentencing McDowell and Crozier to 35 years imprisonment each, had handed down the longest life sentences in the history of Northern Ireland; he commented that "killings like the Miami Showband must be stopped". It allows for commemoration and leaving of flowers at the location itself. December 29, 2022 by Corinne Sullivan. [4][22] McAlea made his way up the embankment to the main road where he hitched a lift to alert the RUC at their barracks in Newry. [80] The same panel revealed that about six weeks before the attack, Thomas Crozier, Jackson and the latter's brother-in-law Samuel Fulton Neill, were arrested for the possession of four shotguns. [18] More uniformed men appeared from out of the darkness, their guns pointed at the minibus. A report by the police's Historical Enquiries Team (HET) also suggests this. [4][22][74] In his book The Dirty War, Martin Dillon adamantly dismissed the allegation that Nairac had been present. They received the blessing of jailed UVF leader Gusty Spence, who was serving life for the Malvern Street murder and shootings in 1966. Their name comes from a farm in Glenanne, County Armagh, which was owned by RUC reservist James Mitchell; according to ex-RUC Special Patrol Group officer John Weir, it was used as a UVF arms dump and bomb-making site. [46] Some time after the attack, RUC officers questioned Stephen Travers at Dublin Castle. A". [40] Three of the musicians were killed: lead singer Fran O'Toole, trumpeter Brian McCoy, and guitarist Tony Geraghty. They were: lead vocalist and keyboard player Fran O'Toole, 28, Catholic; guitarist Anthony (Tony) Geraghty, 24, Catholic, from Dublin; trumpeter Brian McCoy, 32, Protestant, from Caledon, County Tyrone; saxophonist Des McAlea (a.k.a. The gunman turned him round, punched him hard in the back and pushed him on the shoulder back into the line-up. The 55-cent stamp, designed with a 1967 publicity photograph of the band, included two of the slain members, Fran O'Toole and Brian McCoy, as part of the line-up when Dickie Rock was the frontman. [30] The UVF's plan was that the bomb would explode once the minibus had reached Newry, killing all on board. [51] An independent panel of inquiry commissioned by the Pat Finucane Centre has established that among the weapons actually used in the killings were two Sterling submachine guns and a 9mm Luger pistol serial no. The scene of the Miami Showband massacre Somerville would never. Agent Elvis. Photograph: Independent News and Media/Getty Images [34] Afterward, as Travers recovered in hospital, the other survivor Des McAlea gave the police a description of McDowell as the gunman with a moustache and wearing dark glasses who appeared to have been the leader of the patrol. [19] The Irish Times reported that on the night following the attack, the British ambassador Sir Arthur Galsworthy was summoned to hear the Government of Ireland's strong feelings regarding the murder of the three band members. "Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights, Sub-Committee on the Barron Report", "The Miami Showband Massacre, 1975: A Survivor's Search for the Truth", "Miami Showband Massacre: Involvement of UVF Man Robin Jackson". Please check your inbox to verify your details, Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. On April 17, 1975, Somerville and Jackson blew up a Catholic-owned cottage which was being renovated at Killyliss between Dungannon and Ballygawley. Following the explosion pandemonium broke out among the remaining gunmen; shouting obscenities, they started shooting the dazed band members, who had all been blown down into the field below the level of the road from the force of the blast. The three men were sent to serve their sentence in the Maze Prison, on the outskirts of Lisburn. [84], The families held a press conference in Dublin after the report was released. It had been blown off his torso when the bomb prematurely exploded as a result of static electricity. [34], Thomas Crozier recounted that on the night of the killings, he had driven to the grounds of a school in Lurgan where he had picked up two men. They had killed many Catholics together and they trusted each other implicitly," said our source. Others had already been convicted for the Miami attack and they wanted John to stay in the UVF, but to work for them," said a former loyalist prisoner who served time in prison with Somerville. Our source also claimed John Somerville told him that in an attempt to break him, a police officer entered the interrogation room carrying a severed human arm in a plastic bag. A long battle for justice for three members of a popular Irish music group, Miami Showband, who were murdered during The Troubles in Northern Ireland received a huge boost this week with.